Is this political correctness? Is this another example of double standards? Is this religious suppression?
According to a report by CBS news in New Jersey, 13 y/o Alex Woinski was sent home from school for dressing up as Jesus for Halloween. Alex have been told that the length and texture of his hair gives him a Jesus-like appearance even though no one really knows what Jesus looked like. I’m sure they are referring to the paintings and pictures they see of Jesus.
The ironic thing about this is that other students who were “over-dressed” for halloween were told to tone down their costumes by making the necessary adjustments. How come Alex wasn’t given this opportunity? He was sent home.
On what grounds you may ask? Well according to the report, Alex states that the principal told him that it was offensive to some students. Excuse me Mr. Principal – offensive to some students or is to you wanting to be politically correct? Just wondering.
The school says this costume was a disruption and denies its religious nature had anything to do with it. “I don’t think I overreacted,” Principal Joan Broe told CBS 2. Disruption? Are you serious? I thought any kind of halloween costume would be a distraction from the normal everyday school dress code. Secondly, if the other members of the student body had costumes on, where would the distraction be? Who would be distracted?
These are just some of the questions that I’m having. I don’t know if I may have to retract some in the future if I learn more about this case.
Mr. Principal, please come up with a better explanation. Yes you overreacted.
"who are you & what do you want" ... good read"
According to the fox story he was given a chance to remove the offending parts of his costume (beard and crown of thorns) and refused. What I haven’t been able to find was why those pieces were offensive. Many schools have policies banning hats and things that cover faces, even on halloween. The other question I haven’t been able to answer is: if this wasn’t just a case of normal school policies (against hats/masks/beards) being enforced, was it due to a Christian being offended by someone dressing as their savior or a non-Christian being offended by someone dressing as someone else’s savior? It’s been interesting to watch people assume both ways.
VS – Thanks for the added pieces of information. I’m not sure if he removed any parts of his costume, how effective would be the image he was trying to portray. It would take away from the effect. I agree that if there is a policy prohibiting certain garments that interferes with identification, etc. then it should be adhered to and enforced. On the other hand if it does not interfere then it would seem to me that there were other reasons for Alex being sent home.
This is all part of the left’s war on Christianity and Judaism.
This is a small example in a long list that persecutes Jesus Christ and Christianity (which is a huge segment of Americana). Why? Let’s assume for a moment that there IS a spirit world where good battles evil. Then it makes sense to me that the evil underworld would recognize and fight the only one they KNOW to be their adversary and leave all the other Messianic candidates alone since they’re not a threat. The candidates that were alive at one time are dead and still in their graves. The very fact that the persecution of Christ Jesus continues to this day is because He is still alive . We can SEE the physical evidence of the invisible spiritual battle as this spiritual tension is manifested in the lives of the living. My take.
You and your respondents so far pretty much said it all. I would add that I find it difficult to believe that only Alex’s single costume was drawing any attention. Were there no other costumes in school being worn that day? Did NONE of any other costumes that may have been worn that day draw any attention? I think Principal “Appropriate Reaction” definitely has some explaining to do, even more so precisely because she is the prinicipal in an institution where our society’s highest principles and ideals are supposedly taught and upheld: who complained? what was the nature of the complaints? Are children who display equally or more disruptive behavior (verbal abuse to other children/teachers, physical abuse/violent behavior, schoolwide/socially unaccepted behavior…etc!) sent home regularly? I am outraged because here is yet another example of selective application of so-called “public policy”. And people constantly get away with it. The Woinski’s do not seem particularly litigious from what was made available publicly but I for one would be happy to donate to any fund to help them sue the Principal and the school district. Tit-for-Tat? Maybe..but they need this lesson badly! Jesus Christ turned the other cheek…Too many of us do and the Woinski’s certainly shouldn’t! HA!
kingsley grant:
In the south, kids get sent home for wearing things related to and promoting the Confederacy all the time. So political correctness is as political correctness does.
The truth is that the child who put on this Jesus costume was Jewish, and he was attracting a mob of children flocking to him and making light of the references to Jesus Christ in the Bible. Suppose some Christian kid had been offended and acted out (as middle schoolers tend to do!) to the spectacle of some kids sarcastically quoting scripture following around a kid dressed as Jesus, and a melee had ensued. It would have been depicted as some anti – Semitic hate crime pogrom, and the principal would have been blamed for failing to hold enough multicultural sensitivity diversity seminars at best and accused of personally harboring anti – Semitic feelings and indoctrinating his students into them at worst. And there is evidence that the Jewish kid who pulled this stunt would have been happy with that turn of events as his own comments demonstrated, as he was quick to compare his being sent home from school to what, in his words, SUPPOSEDLY happened to Jesus.
So if the principal prevented this kid’s designs on being the #1 fundraising tool for the Anti – Defamation League for the next 10 years, then maybe there is a good side to political correctness after all. Or then again, maybe not.
Dear Kingsley Grant;
Yes it is true that Alex Woinski does have Jewish background and has celebrated one of the Jewish celebrations. But to say that he was making light to Jesus Christ in the bible or otherwise is a little too far to the left. I doubt in any way that he was demonstrating any anti-semetic crimes what so ever. First of all why would he do that if he is Jewish. Secondly, you failed to mention that not only is he Jewish but his mother is also Catholic which indeed gives him 50% of Catholic background as well. Is it possible that in his own heart he may have been demonstrating the Catholic side to him? I dare say that if you go to the following link you will find that Alex has been known to take interest in Jesus as a religious figure. Because of this it would be contrary to say that he was demonstrating any anti-semetic feelings.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Jesus_costume_gets_child_sent_home_from_school.html
If any Christian child had indeed acted out as you say could have happened, then I challenge you, the child who acted out and the parents of the child to do your research on Halloween. You will find that indeed Halloween has its origins from pagan background. However, in the 800s the pope has since brought a religious aspect to it to counter the pagan view. In fact Halloween is now defined as the feast of all Hallows. This feast is otherwise known as the eve of all hallows prefacing the Holy Day of All Saints. It is this Christian practice that the children used to dress up as saints and angels to counter the devils and goblins. It is not unheard of that many would even dress as Saint Joseph and Saint Mary, both of whom were Jewish.
The reference that you are speaking of that Alex had made is certianly taken out of context. Supposedly happened to Jesus was to simply but boldly say that yes they crucified Jesus over 2000 years ago and He is still crucified when others take the heat in His name. This was not an anti-semetic remark but a truthful remark at best. And if you were any good Christian or for those who are not Christian any good person, it doesn’t take a genious to figure out that Jesus was crucified for a good, moral set of values. Only Alex knows what is in his heart. Maybe he too feels that he was crucified for the same good, moral set of values and who are we to judge him. Jesus said it Himself, Thou shall not judge says the Lord. And vengences is mine says the Lord.
Brother Matthew J. Levis O. de M.
Dear Job (no kidding, that’s your name?)
The child, Alex, has one parent who is Jewish and one who is Chritian, according to the news reports. I think you place a bit too much pre-meditated purpose here on the principal and certainly on Alex…easy to do after the fact to promote an opinion. You write as if he planned on or wanted to get sent home. People don costumes of all sorts for many reasons but how dare you place a Jesus costume in the same category as costumes (nazi, kkk, etc) that would engender the type of supposed chaos to which you refer? My guess is that you pride yourself on your writing ability but I actually have no idea what your are talking about. “Christians” being offended by Jesus Christ and inciting a melee, as you suggest, is a ludicrous notion…Jesus Christ (Jew)=Followers of Jesus (Christian). I dont have it in me to reply any more so thank you for listening all.
Mp
My insert was addressed to Kingsley Grant, I also wanted to address it to Job who I was originally responding to
Brother Matthew